XN000022-1985-11-27 — Page 34

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985

+WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME THE CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THIS FIELD FOR THE WHOLE OF THE REGION AND TO PROVIDE A SOURCE OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE FOR CHINA AS SHE MOVES FORWARD WITH HER MODERNISATION PROGRAMME,+ HE SAID.

MR LEE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THAT BOTH POLYTECHNICS HAD ALREADY TAKEN THE INITIATIVE AND HAD BEEN STUDYING THESE DEVELOPMENTS IN RELATION TO THE COURSES THEY SHOULD BE OFFERING AND HE HOPED TO SEE THE FIRST COURSES IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMENCING IN THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR.

HE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS TIME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF +IT+ AND SUGGESTED THAT HONG KONG SHOULD CONCENTRATE IN THE APPLICATIONS OF +IT+ RATHER THAN +IT+ ITSELF AND DEVELOP QUICKLY ITS ABILITY TO HANDLE AND TO EXPLOIT THE NEW APPLICATIONS THAT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WAS MAKING POSSIBLE.

HE PROPOSED THAT A WORKING PARTY FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BE ESTABLISHED WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM INDUSTRY, COMMERCE, GOVERNMENT AND THE UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS.

THE WORKING PARTY SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH THE TASK OF EXAMINING THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, ASSESSING THE IR POTENTIAL IMPACT ON HONG KONG AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW BEST HONG KONG COULD MEET THIS CHALLENGE, HE SAID.

IT SHOULD ALSO EXAMINE THE RESOURCE IMPLICATION OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONS PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO THE PROVISION OF THE NECESSARY RETRAINING PROGRAMME WHICH MIGHT BE REQUIRED, HE ADDED.

*CONFIDENCE IS KEY FACTOR IN HK'S FUTURE'

****

HONG KONG'S FUTURE RESTS IN LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFIDENCE AND THE CONFIDENCE OF CHINA AND BRITAIN, AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THIS PRINCIPLE AS A CRITERION IN ITS ADMINISTRATION. THIS WAS STATED BY THE HON WONG PO-YAN AT THE POLICY DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR WONG SAID AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAD RESTORED THEIR CONFIDENCE AND THIS WAS EVIDENCED IN THE REVIVAL OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET AND THE STABLE CONDITION IN THE IN-COMING AND OUT-GOING FLOWS OF FUNDS.

/HOWEVER,